Albany Co. Sheriff Dept. photos of Suzette M. Guzman-Moore, bottom, and Emmett L. Woods on a table full of evidence at the announcement of their arrest on Identity Theft charges during at news conference Thursday May 8, 2014, in Albany, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

The convicted felon boyfriend of an Albany Medical Center Hospital licensed practical nurse was sentenced Monday to 7 ½ to 15 years in prison for helping her steal the identities of dozens of mostly elderly patients to obtain credit cards.

A judge described the crimes of Emmett Woods, 25, of Albany and his live-in girlfriend, Suzette Guzman-Moore, as "unsettling" before imposing his sentence in Albany County Court.

Woods, convicted in 2012 of cashing forged checks in an unrelated crime, pleaded guilty in June to identity theft, scheming to defraud and possessing a forged instrument, all felonies.

Woods and Guzman-Moore — who has since been fired and will be sentenced Tuesday — must jointly repay the victims $23,900.

Herrick reminded Woods of his history of financial crimes that include forgery-related and theft offenses, noting the crimes were mostly driven by drug abuse.

"In this case, your low-level offenses have created a very high-level, significant impact on the Capital District area," the judge told Woods. "The many victims that are involved here are elderly or deceased, and the way that the personal information of these victims was obtained through you and your co-defendant's efforts is unsettling."

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Woods told the judge, "I'd like to apologize for those I affected during the course of my crimes." The judge responded: "Mr. Woods, I'm quite familiar with you. The judicial system has previously attempted to address your mental health and substance abuse issues, clearly unsuccessfully."

Assistant District Attorney Daniel Lynch, who prosecuted the case, had asked for the maximum time for Woods.

The defendant and Guzman-Moore were arrested May 7 for their roles in a scheme authorities said preyed on at least 50 patients. Guzman-Moore stole the information from labels on patients' medical folders. Guzman-Moore and Woods then applied for credit cards they used to buy gift cards for items across the Albany area.

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple previously said at least 50 to 60 identities — including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and dates of birth — were discovered at the couple's home. He said the duo had credit applications and bogus checks in their names.

Herrick noted that while the guilty plea by Woods resolved his identity theft case in Albany County in connection with a related search warrant by prosecutors, it "does not satisfy any ongoing investigation or possible prosecution by state or federal authorities on tax return matters involving the stolen information."